William Smith Obituary – Death: “William Smith, Action Actor and Star of ‘Laredo’ and ‘Rich Man, Poor Man,’ Dies at 88″
Friends and other affected persons mourn the death of American actor William Smith, 88, who died on Monday, July 5, 2021 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.
William Smith was born March 24, 1933 in Columbia, Missouri. He was 8 years old when he began his acting career in 1942 when his family moved to Southern California from the Dust Bowl. He started out as a child actor in films such as The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Song of Bernadette and Meet Me in St. Louis.
He has appeared in over three hundred feature films and television productions in various character roles, with his most famous role being the menacing Anthony Falconetti in the 1970s Rich Man television miniseries, Poor Man.
He left Hollywood a bit when he enlisted in the military to fight in the Korean War.
“The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one, no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. [Points to sword] This you can trust.”
RIP, William Smith (1933-2021) pic.twitter.com/5LZNkPlb19
— Michael Doyle (@DoyleofDarkness) July 9, 2021
Sad news coming through that the great William Smith has passed away aged 88. Clint Eastwood fans will of course remember his outstanding performance as Jack Wilson in Any Which Way You Can (1980). pic.twitter.com/ISCqVYDgzC
— Clint Eastwood Forever (@GoodBadUglyMule) July 9, 2021
William Smith, god-tier among the grindhouse greats, has left us. Tremendous screen presence. Who do you cast to make Clint Eastwood break a sweat in a fistfight? Who do you cast to play Conan The Barbarian’s daddy? Who’s the baddest of the movie badmen? William Smith. A legend. pic.twitter.com/UJVpOSTted
— Daily Grindhouse (@DailyGrindhouse) July 9, 2021